The World’s Navies and Armies.
By D. T. Taylor
A short essay entitled, “The Question of Money,” has recently appeared in Paris, from the pen of M. de Girardin, “in which [I quote from the Boston Journal] it is made to appear that all existing governments, excepting those of England and America, are fast hastening to a bankrupt condition. This is caused mainly by the elaborate armies and fleets which a mutual suspicion compels all the powers of Europe to maintain as a standing threat to all encroachments of their neighbors. The result is that Europe is one vast camp, the soldiers of England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Russia costing those governments about $500,000,000 annually. England’s army of 106,000 men costs $53,256,160; France’s 480,000 men, $112,913,298; Russia’s 575,000 men, $137,034,925; Germany’s 412,000 men, $92,764,603; Italy’s 205,000 men, $37,176,086; and Austria’s 273,000 men, $47,705,914. The support of the various navies also costs $135,000,000 a year, of which England expends $60,000,000; France, $35,000,000; Russia $24,000,000; Germany and Italy, $7,500,000 each, and Austria $5,000,000. M. de Girardin concludes from the estimate of naval expenses that the danger of universal insolvency will never be removed until rulers shall cease to prosecute a search for an armament which no projectile can pierce and a projectile which no armament can withstand.” From the statistics collected in H. L. Hastings’ “Signs of the Times,” chap. 16, we learn that at the beginning of this century the standing armies of Europe numbered only half a million. July 4, 1845, Hon. Charles Sumner declared the standing armies of European Christendom to be upwards of two millions and perhaps three millions. Ten years later, in 1854, these armies had been run up to nearly four millions. In 1864 Mr. Hastings’ ample and elaborate figures made this host to be no less than five and a half millions of men under arms. But how stand the figures to-day? I reply, It is well known that Europe (Christian Europe!) has ten millions of soldiers in her armies. She is “one vast camp,” says the Journal. This is twenty fighting men in 1878 to one in 1800. Does any one suppose the population has increased in this ratio? It certainly has not. This is the age of military preparation. Can it be doubted that the result will be—Armageddon? Rev. 16: 14-16.—D. T. Taylor.